


Takes one to know one

by greenapricot



Series: Lewis and Endeavour prompt fills [2]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 12:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17324714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenapricot/pseuds/greenapricot
Summary: It was a stupid fight, it’s never anything but a stupid fight; the job getting to them and them taking it out on each other. Or the job getting to James and James taking it out on Robbie.





	Takes one to know one

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lucyemers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucyemers/gifts).



> Prompt fill for [the way you said “I love you.”](http://greenapricot.tumblr.com/post/181715394925/the-way-you-said-i-love-you) meme on Tumblr for the prompts: 2. With a hoarse voice, under the blankets - 8. As an apology

James lifts the blankets gently and slides underneath next to Robbie’s sleeping form. Robbie’s back is to James’ side of the bed. James can’t blame him, he wouldn’t want to see himself either. He resists the urge to touch, to reach for comfort he doesn’t deserve. He doesn’t even deserve this; to be lying next to Robbie after shouting at him in their kitchen, yelling after him to come back and finish having it out. He’d tried to sleep on the sofa after Robbie’d gone to bed, but he’s not twenty-seven anymore, or thirty, and the sofa was only ever comfortable then because of the proximity to Robbie and the possibility of this. This which he has very possibly ruined. This which despite the months that have passed still feels new and delicate and James is still terrified of shattering.

It was a stupid fight, it’s never anything but a stupid fight; the job getting to them and them taking it out on each other. Or the job getting to James and James taking it out on Robbie. Robbie seems to manage to not dig in his heels and lash out. James can manage it too, most of the time. But not tonight. He can’t even remember what started it, only that he was right and Robbie was wrong and he wasn’t going to apologise if Robbie wasn’t. So Robbie went to bed and James tried in vain to sleep on the sofa.

It’s so much harder now to sleep without Robbie’s presence by his side, without the soft snores now emanating from the other side of the bed. James rolls over and lets his hand rest on the mattress between them, close enough to feel Robbie’s body heat but not close enough to disturb him. James has already disturbed him enough for one night; that look of frustrated disappointment as Robbie turned away. James sighs and pulls his knees up to his chest, waiting for Robbie’s breathing to lull him to sleep, curling in on himself as carefully as he can so as not to rouse Robbie.

Not careful enough, though. Robbie shifts, his snores ceasing with a snort. He half rolls over in James’ direction. James freezes, muscles tensing, ready to flee if need be.

“There you are,” Robbie says, sleepy and low. He rolls all the way over and runs his hand down James’ arm between them, then pulls the duvet up around their heads.

“I didn’t mean to wake you…” James says. “I wasn’t sure you’d want me here… after…” After a senseless argument turned into more than it should have been. 

“Of course I want you,” Robbie says, his voice sleep-rough and soothing. “One row isn’t going to change that.” He stops and looks at James in the dim light. “I was tired. I went to bed, is all.”

“It wasn’t just once, though. There was a week ago Sunday, and two weeks before that.”

“You keeping score?”

“No, I—” James takes a deep breath. “I don’t mean to, I just… I know I’m not easy to live with sometimes.”

“Takes one to know one,” Robbie says. 

“I love you,” James says, voice low and hoarse with sudden emotion. He shifts forward until his face is pressed to Robbie’s chest. Robbie wraps his arms around him.

“I love you too,” Robbie says, tightening his arms around James a fraction more. “Don’t ever forget that.”

_____


End file.
